Goddess Of the Week - Kwan Yin, the ultimate Mother

Kwan Yin is a Goddess who stands at the meeting place of two great archetypal rivers: the very ancient Chinese Great Mother and the Bodhisattva of Compassion, who appears elsewhere as a masculine figure.

She is also one of those very rare deities who quietly belong to several religions at once.  Always changing, always Herself, her image can be seen on Buddhist shrines throughout the world as well as in Taoist places of worship.  Her calm gaze watches over countless ancestors on Confucianist shrines in China, Shintoist shrines in Japan, often found close to Her own.

As the Great Mother, Her compassion radiates in harmony with the blessings of Tibetan Tara,

African Yemaya

 

or South-American Virgén de Guadalupe.

All over the world, women have always prayed to the Great Mother for the healing of a sick child or to find solace from life’s troubles.  Always She hears, and Her Presence consoles the grieving, cools the burning brow, relieves the pain. Kwan Yin means “She who hears the cries of sentient beings.”

In Tibet, She becomes He: Chenrezig, “Loving Eyes”. One of his representations shows him with a thousand arms forming a mandala around him in his endeavour to help all sentient beings who call for His help.

In Her sanctuary, Kwan Yin awaits you.  In Her hands she holds the vessel of nectar which She pours on the world’s suffering.  The wheel of Her mantra, Om Mani Padme Hum, revolves infinitely, emanating light in all directions.  Take the time to bow before Her and allow your heart to express its sincere wish.  Allow Her subtle presence to reach out to you.

It’s perfectly all right to ask for oneself, but isn’t it even sweeter to ask for a loved one?

 

 

All of the information in this post came from a wonderful site listed below: